A basic dipole antenna is an antenna that can be made by a simple arrangement of wires, for the purpose of transmitting or receiving radio frequency energy. Dipole antennas, in their most basic form, are among the simplest antennas. However, dipole antennas have a multitude of practical uses, including deployment in cellular radio systems (e.g., subscriber units and base stations).
Performance of dipole antennas can be enhanced by combining two or more antenna elements. One type of antenna element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,199 (the '199 patent) to Ukmar, titled “Method and Apparatus for Tube Element Bracket,” which is incorporated herein by reference. A prior art antenna element, such as the antenna element described in the '199 patent, has four small openings in the cross sections of the element, making it difficult to pass feed lines or phasing harnesses from element to element during antenna assembly. Additionally, a prior art antenna element according to the '199 patent has only two soldering points to secure the element to the central metal rod, thus making the soldered connection less secure. These shortcomings may be unacceptable to an antenna manufacturer who builds his reputation of failure-proof products.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved omnidirectional antenna radiation element.